Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a granular material for producing ignition nuclei in propellants and fuels.
Surface reactors which are denoted as "fuel finishers" are known. They operate with a copper-tin alloy and convert unsaturated hydrocarbons in the propellants or fuels at low concentration into tin organics which are extremely highly ignitable and therefore act as ignition nuclei in the combustion of propellants and fuels. In order to produce the ignition nuclei, the propellant or fuel is heated up, led through the surface reactors and fed after the reaction to an internal combustion engine or burner.
It is known to quench the copper-tin alloy from the melt onto a cooled band as granules, that is to say metal grains obtained by granulation. It is also known to free the solidified particles of their oxide layer in sodium hydroxide solution and subsequently store them in oil or gasoline, in order to avoid their renewed oxidation. Residues of sodium hydroxide solution, which favors the formation of a new oxide layer in the event of storage over several months, are responsible for the aging of the granular material. As a result, the granular material loses some of its effect when it is used to form ignition nuclei in propellants and fuels.
It is also known to produce granules by blowing liquid melt with various inert gases, such as nitrogen, argon, krypton, xenon, etc. The prior art processes are associated with a range of disadvantages which limit their use substantially.